McDonald’s has long served as a de facto leader of the limited-service restaurant space. Far and away the largest quick-service company in the U.S. by system-wide sales, the Golden Arches has for generations been the model for fast-food stability and achievement, the benchmark against which all...

1. 8 Fast Food Trends for ’14
There is always excitement at the beginning of a new year, with renewed hopes of health, wealth, and happiness. It’s no different in the limited-service industry, where a year ago, brands were studying up on potential trends to ensure a prosperous 2014. These eight...

Images of the late Col. Harlan Sanders are everywhere as you walk through the Louisville, Kentucky, headquarters of KFC and its parent, Yum! Brands. Not only are there plenty of photos and videos of the company founder and creator of the world’s most popular fried chicken recipe, but there are also...

It’s mid-September and Thom Crosby is on the road again. Every six months, Crosby, the CEO of Pal’s Sudden Service, a 26-unit chain with stores across Tennessee and Virginia, joins Pal’s founder Fred Barger for a road trip. The pair visit all 26 stores, leading quality and system audits at each...

When news that more quick-serve and fast-casual restaurants were experimenting with alcohol beverage service emerged in the last decade, many operators and experts followed it with a skepticism chaser. Analysts warned that costly liquor licensing, regulatory details, and staffing issues were just a...

Come next month, the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health-care reporting provision for businesses with 50 or more full-time employees kicks in.
Experts say operators must be certain if they fit into the category of Applicable Large Employer (ALE) or Small Business.
“The law combines companies with a...

I never thought I would be an owner of a quick-service restaurant brand; I actually received my economics degree at Stanford. Being in the San Francisco area, however, I happened to wander onto a movie set that was shooting in the Bay Area. After witnessing the movie-catering business, I ended up...

Local Cincinnati franchise owner of Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies is broadening his reach and expanding his business with the launch of a new concession trailer that will soon be hitting the streets to serve the city some aloha spirit. Keith Mitchell and his wife Lori became...

Sonic Drive-In today announced two new agreements for franchise development in Rhode Island, the 45th state for the expanding brand. A mainstay in the South and Central Plains, Sonic is swiftly expanding in the Northeast to meet ever growing demand through strategic franchise...

Back by popular demand, Del Taco has announced the return of Crispy Shrimp. Now available, golden shrimp is featured in Del Taco’s new Epic Crispy Shrimp Burrito, as well as original Crispy Shrimp Tacos. These limited time items will be offered alongside Del Taco’s original Beer Battered Fish...

Juice It Up!, a raw juice bar and hand-crafted smoothie chain, has officially opened its newest Ontario, California, location. This is the third location in Ontario, and the second operating under the ownership of franchisees Adela and Jose Quezada.

McAlister'sDeli announced the return of its popular New Orleans-inspired Cajun Shrimp through April 2, 2015. To celebrate the return of one of guests' favorite menu items, McAlister's has launched the For the Love of Shrimp sweepstakes where one fan will win a trip for two to New Orleans.

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill is teaming up with Colorado-based nonprofit First Descents to help support the organization’s internationally reaching adventure camps for young adult cancer fighters and survivors.

The Mediterranean restaurant concept is expanding their partnership to raise...

Starbucks Coffee Company announced today the launch of its fresh delivery subscription, giving online customers access to its line of super-premium, small-lot coffees roasted at its new, Seattle Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room. Available in monthly increments, Starbucks Reserve Roastery...

North Carolina diners looking for affordable, fresh, fast-casual fare now have a new option. Atlanta–based Fresh To Order brings its “fast-fine” dining concept to the Tar Heel State with its first opening in Charlotte by the month’s end. Located in Carolina Place Mall, it will be the first of...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...

When fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last April, the Plano, Texas–based Mediterranean-style eatery recorded its initial public offering at $87.5 million. Satisfying an investor appetite for investments within the trendy fast-casual space, Zoës’ strong...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...